Releasable airplane cabin



Aug. 10, 1948. F, REED 2,446,609 RELEASABLE AIRPLANE CABIN Filed May 17 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR,

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Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES,

RELEASABLE AIRPLANE CABIN Forrest 1). Reed, st. Paul, Ind.

Application May 17, 1947, Serial No. 748,721

6' Claims. 1;

This invention relates to an airplane and particularly to means for releasing a pilot and passenger compartment to permit the compartment to travel on forwardly of the plane upon impact of the plane with some such subject as striking the groundior a mountain side and the like.v

A primary object of the invention is to allow the passenger compartment to free itself from the plane proper and hence be removed from the hazards of igniting gasoline tanks when the plane is yopped by striking the ground Gno other immovable object. In connection with this primary object, other objects are embodied in the invention such as provisions for retaining the compartment. firmly in proper position when the plane is normally operating; means. for quickly releasing the compartment; and, means insuring that the compartment will be initially lifted in order to provide the proper angle of contact with the ground as it leaves the plane to insure that the compartment may glide forwardly thereof.

It is contemplated that the various controls and instruments norm-ally appearing within the compartmentof'the pilot be releasably connected with the plane proper in order to permit separation,

of the compartment from the plane. The details of'su'ch connection do not form a part of the present invention and are therefore not illustrated nor described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the artin thefo-llowing description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying" drawings, in which Fig. l is aview in side elevation of an airplane to which. the invention is applied;

Fig. 2, a detail in side elevation and partial sectionof' the forward part of the fuselage of the plane;

Fig. 3, a detail in front elevation and partial section of the compartment to fuselage connec-' Fig. 10, a detail in section on the line lfl-l-l] in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are designated by like numerals, the invention is illustrated in atwo-engine type of plane [5 wherein a motor 15 is carried on each side of a central fuselage ll on the wings l8 and I9. Preferably the plane I5 is further of the low wing type.

The fuselage IT is constructed to receive thereon from its top side the separate, rigidly built pilot and passenger compartment 28, which, when in place normally appears and functions in the usual manner as a part of the plane I 5 to complete the flow lines thereacross.

On each side of the fuselage I1 is fixed respectively the tracks 2| and 22. Each track 2| and 22 is essentially L shape throughout its major length. The rear portions of these tracks are substantially parallel with the undersides of the wings I 8 and I9, while the forward end portions of these tracks cu-rve upwardly toward the top skin of the nose 23 of the fuselage IT.

The underside of the compartment 20, particularly the forward portion thereof curves around and upwardly by the floor 24 following substantially the curve of the tracks 2| and 22. Incidentally, this floor 24 is preferably made to Withstand puncture or distortion under considerable impact. Extending below and fixed to the compartment 20 are wheels 25, two on each side and spaced apart a distance fore and aft to rest upon the horizontal flanges respectively of the tracks 2i and 22, Figs. 2. 3 and 7. The rear ends of the tracks 2! and 22 are provided each with a top side inturned flange 26 spaced above the lower flange of the track a distance sufficient to permit the rear wheels 25 to fit rather snugly between the top flange 26 and the lower track flange.

In the forward end of the nose 23 there is positioned a retractable impact plunger 2?. This plunger 21 normally extends outwardly from the nose and is presented on that part of the nose most likely to strike the ground upon falling of the plane upon a hill side and the like. In the form herein shown, this plunger 21' is shown as being shell-shaped closed on its outer end with a rounded surface and open at its inner end. It is slidingly guided within a sleeve 23 fixed within the nose 23. A compression spring 29 is carried within the shell plunger 2'! to extend rearwardly into the nose 23 and abut some fixed surface such as. the plate 3E1, Figs. 2 and 6. A rod 3.! extends axially through the plunger 2] and the spring .29, and L32, slidingly enters the plate 33 and the boss 32 on the rear side thereof'to engage a T head 32.

This head 32 is fixed on a cross shaft 33. On the shaft 33 spaced respectively on each side of the head 32 are wheels or rollers 34 and 35 normally in contact with the forward upturned floor 24 of the passenger compartment 20.

Thus upon inward travel of the plunger 21 these rollers 34% and 35 pushing against the upwardly curved floor 24 will lift the forward portion of the compartment to rock it upon the two rear wheels 25. This lifts the two forward compartment wheels free of the tracks 2| and 22,

Now in order to insure that the compartment 20 remains securely fixed in position on the fuselage [1 while the airplane is in normal usage, some interlocking mechanism must be employed which will be automatically released upon inward travel of the plunger 21.

One particular form of such an interlocking mechanism is herein shown on each outer end of the shaft 33 there is attached respectively levers 31 and 38 by slotted connections through their upper ends. These levers 31 and 38 are pivoted intermediate their ends each by a bracket 39 fixed to a part of the frame of the fuselage. To each of the opposite ends of the levers 31 and 38 is pivotally interconnected through slots a post 40 which in turn extends upwardly through a guide 4i fixed to the underside of the compartment 20. The top of the post 4-0 in each instance, carries a dog 42 revolubly mounted thereon. As indicated in Fig. 4, this dog 42 has a heel portion of a diameter substantially equal to the bore through the guide M and carries the extended nose 43 which will rock over and turn down on the top side of the floor 24 when pushed upwardly against a cap 44 that is dome-shaped and mounted over the bore through the guide M. The spring 29 exerts sufficient force to retain the posts 40 in their upper positions to hold the dogs 42 in the floor engaging position as indicated in Fig. 4. Then upon inward travel of the plunger 21, the levers 31 and 38 are rocked to pull these posts 49 downwardly to disengage these dogs 42 and thereby release of the forward end of the compartment 23 as the rollers 34 and push upwardly on that portion of the compartment.

4 resistance to the elevation of the front end of the compartment.

Therefore, while I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An airplane fuselage; track means carried by the fuselage; a compartment unit carried by the fuselage on said track means normally shiftable forwardly under inertia effect; an impact member shiftably carried by said fuselage at a forward portion thereof; means operated by travel of said impact member to elevate in reference to said brakes may be applied to the individual wheels.

25. The compartment 20 is herein shown as having its sides provided with metal wing portions 50 and 5! to extend rearwardly along the skin of the fuselage !1 so as to cover the opening across the rear endof the compartment 20 in the adjoining portion of the fuselage. As above indicated, when the compartment 20 is catapulted from the fuselage l1 by the sudden stoppage of the fuselage, the controls and instruments which have connections running into the fuselage 11 are releasably disengaged. As indicated in Fig. 2, the skin of the fuselage IT at the top rear end of the nose portion 23 has a slight overlapping on the forward topside of the compartment zll as designated by the numeral 52 so that no gap is left there for entrance of water and the like under normal conditions. However, under the impact, the forward end of the compartment 2!! will lift the end free of this overlapping or bend it upwardly since it is made out of rather soft material and under the impacted conditions imposed would offer slight fuselage'the forward end of said unit upon driving said impact member inwardly of the fuselage as maybe induced by collision conditions.

2. An airplane fuselage; a removable compartment unit carried by the fuselage; track members on the fuselage supporting said unit; means for releasably holding said unit against shifting along said track members; an impact member shiftably carried by said fuselage to be driven inwardly thereof under impact of a collision; and means actuated by travel of said impact member to release said holding means; whereby said unit may, upon collision stopping motion of the fuselage, shoot forwardly from the fuselage under inertia effect; said unit being provided with an upwardly inclined under surface to aid it in taking a gliding upright course upon leaving the fuselage; and means at the rear portion of said unit restraining that portion against lifting until said holding means has been released.

'3. An airplane fuselage; a removable compartment unit carried by the fuselage; track members on the fuselage supporting said unit; means for releasably holding said unit against shifting along said track members; an impact member shiftably carried by said fuselage to be driven inwardly thereof under impact of a collision; and means actuated by travel of said impact member to release said holding means; whereby said unit may,

upon collision stopping motion of the fuselage shoot forwardly from the fuselage under inertia effect; said unit being provided with an upwardly inclined under surface to aid it in taking a gliding upright course upon leaving the fuselage; and means at the rear portion of said unit restraining that portion against lifting until said holding means has been released; and means actuated by travel of said impact member to elevate relative to said fuselage the front end portion of said unit.

4. The combination of a fuselage; a separate compartment unitinserted from the top side of the fuselage and continuing in effect the units outside walls the surface of said fuselage thereacross to aflord the desired flow surfaces; track members carried by the fuselage longitudinally thereof; fore and aft spaced apart support members on said unit resting on said track members to be constrained thereby to fore and aft travel thereof; means restraining the rear support members against travel vertically relative to the fuselage; an impact shiftable member carried by said fuselage to extend by one end portion therefrom; unit tilting means adjacent the forward under portion of said unit; means interconnecting said impact member and said tliting means to actuate the tilting means upon travel of the impact means when in collision whereby the unit is rocked upwardly by its forward end relative to the fuselage.

5. The combination of a, fuselage; a separate compartment unit inserted from the top side of the fuselage and continuing in effect the units outside walls the surface of said fuselage thereacross to afford the desired flow surfaces; track members carried by the fuselage longitudinally thereof; fore and aft spaced apart support members on said unit resting on said track members to be constrained thereby to fore and aft travel thereof; means restraining the rear support members against travel vertically relative to the fuselage; an impact shiftable member carried by said fuselage to extend by one end portion therefrom; unit tilting means adjacent the forward under portion of said unit; means interconnecting said impact member and said tilting means to actuate the tilting means upon travel of the im-- pact means when in collision whereby the unit is rocked upwardly by its forward end relative to the fuselage; and at least one fuselage-unit interlocking member; link means betweensaid impact member and said interlocking member shifting it to an unlatched condition upon said impact means travel.

6. In an airplane, a compartment unit; a fuselage formed to have a depression to receive therein the unit; tracks carried by the fuselage; fore and aft spaced apart wheels on said unit riding on said tracks; a flange turned over the rear wheels to restrain them against vertical travel when in their rearmost position; the forward end of said unit having an under surface sloping upwardly, said fuselage having a nose portion under said unit sloping end; a plunger reciprocatably carried by said fuselage adjacent said unit forward end and extending outwardly from the fuselage; yielding means normally retaining the plunger in said extending position; said tracks having their forward ends upturned under said unit sloping surface; roller means shiftable with travel of said plunger against said sloping surface to elevate that surf-ace upon m ward travel of the plunger; latch means normally retaining said unit in fixed position over and along said tracks; and connections between that latch means and said plunger shiftable with the plunger to withdraw the latch means upon said inward travel thereof.

FORREST D. REED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,251,896 Krogel Jan. 1, 1918 1,628,098 Abreu May 10, 1927 1,721,437 Durham July 16, 1929 1,923,963 Ayad Aug. 22, 1933 2,147,550 Sabothe Feb. 14, 1939 

